


Like My Heart Was Underground

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s03e15 Eddie Begins, First Kiss, Fluff, Hospitals, Love Confessions, M/M, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: A conversation with Bobby prompts Buck to have an important talk with Eddie.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 550





	Like My Heart Was Underground

The rain has finally slowed in its onslaught. Not that it matters now. They’re all indoors. It can’t reach them inside the quiet hospital waiting room. Buck still watches it though, as it splashes against the glass of the window. It’s a way of distracting himself. Maybe if he studies the drops he won’t think of the state Eddie could be in down the hall.

They’d said he was fine. Just a little sore and in need of some rest, but they’re still keeping him overnight. Buck hasn’t seen him yet though. He wants to, but every time he thinks about going down the hall to his room he remembers how the fear had gripped his chest when the ground covered Eddie’s only way out. And hopeless he’d felt in the aftermath, even as they’d made plans to try and find him. In the end Eddie had saved himself, and Buck’s proud of him for that. But he still feels like he let him down somehow.

"You okay?"

Buck turns his head at the sound of Bobby's voice, a frown forming on his face. "Uhh yeah. I'm not the one that got buried underground and almost drowned."

"But you almost lost him."

"We all did."

The look Bobby gives him is far too knowing, and Buck fights not to squirm under his gaze. He looks down at his hands instead. "We both know it's different."

"Bobby…"

"I saw how desperate you were to save him," Bobby continues. "And how devastated you were when I pulled you away. That wasn't just you being worried about your best friend, was it?"

Buck could lie or deflect. He could make up some excuse, and Bobby might let it go. But he doesn't want to. If there's one person he can trust with this, it's Bobby. 

"No, it wasn't." Buck looks from his hands up at Bobby. "When Eddie was trapped down there I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was like my heart was underground with him. And all I could think was that I never told him. I never told him how much I love him."

Bobby squeezes his shoulder, "You still have a chance now, Buck."

"Yeah but is it really the time?"

"If you're going to spend your life waiting for the right time to tell someone you love them, all you're doing is losing time," Bobby says. "I think you owe it to yourself, and to Eddie, to talk to him."

Buck nods, "Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I'll… I'll talk to him."

“Good.”

Buck gets to his feet and starts to walk away. He stops at the door to the waiting room and turns back. “How did you know?”

“You mean besides you both being obvious?” Bobby asks. When Buck nods, he smiles sadly. “Let’s just say that the way you reacted tonight was a little too familiar.”

“Cap…”

“Just be grateful you have a second chance,” Bobby tells him. “And don’t waste it.”

“I won’t,” Buck assures him.

“Good. Now go. I’m sure he’s waiting on you.”

Eddie’s sitting up in bed when Buck enters the room. The smile he gives Buck when he sees him has his steps faltering. 

“Hey,” Eddie says.

“Hey,” Buck says and takes the seat closest to Eddie’s bed.

“I was starting to think you were avoiding me,” Eddie tells him, tone teasing.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because everyone had come to see me but you.”

“Maybe we were just saving the best for last,” Buck attempts to joke. “Or maybe I just wanted more time with you without other people coming in.”

“Yeah, it would be nice to see you without interruptions.”

“Have you talked to Christopher?” Buck asks.

Eddie nods, “Yeah. Carla got him on FaceTime so I could see him before he went to bed. He wanted to come visit, but I told him I’d be out of here in the morning and would be all his.”

“Good. You two deserve some time together, and you a day off.”

“Are you okay?” Eddie asks him after a beat of silence.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because you look like you’ve been through hell,” Eddie tells him. “Which is saying something since it’s coming from the man who was almost buried alive.”

“I was worried,” Buck says softly. He can’t quite meet Eddie’s gaze.

“I heard.”

“You did?” He’s not sure why he’s surprised. Hen and Chimney both came to visit earlier. No doubt they told him about Buck’s meltdown.

“Yeah. Heard you lost it pretty bad for a minute. Hen said you were trying to dig down to me with your bare hands and Bobby had to drag you away.”

Buck takes a deep breath and nods. There’s still evidence of that caked under his nails despite him washing them. “I was terrified, Eddie. I… I thought I’d lost you. There was no way to get down there to you.”

Buck’s gaze snaps up to Eddie’s at the feeling of his warm palm against his cheek. At least he’s warm now. He’d been so cold when they found him. “Hey,” Eddie says. “I’m okay, alright?”

“But you almost weren’t,” Buck says, voice rising. “You could have died down there and I never told you!”

“You don’t need to,” Eddie tells him. “I know, okay? And I… you have to know I feel the same way Buck.”

He knows what Eddie is doing. He’s trying to give them both an out to save them some emotional speech, but Buck doesn’t want that. He needs Eddie to know. He puts his hand over the one Eddie still has on his cheek and holds his gaze. “I need you to shut up and listen to me, okay? Because you deserve to hear this. I love you. Not just because you’re my best friend, even though you are. I love you because you’re so much more than that. You’re brave and you’re strong and you care so deeply even if you try to hide it. You are enough, more than enough, for me and for Christopher. We’d both be lost without you.”

For a moment, Buck panics when he sees Eddie’s crying. Then Eddie is pulling him closer with a hand on his neck and the other gripping his shirt. Buck has no choice but to go, half crawling onto the bed until he’s hovering over Eddie. Eddie’s hands are on his cheeks again and he’s looking at him with such open affection that Buck forgets to breathe. 

It doesn’t help that the next moment Eddie’s leaning in and their lips are meeting in a soft kiss. It’s short, too short in Buck’s opinion. Which is why when Eddie goes to move back, Buck surges forward and kisses him again, deeper this time, pouring every ounce of love and longing and fear he’s been feeling into it.

“Easy, Evan,” Eddie murmurs against his lips. His hands caress Buck’s cheeks and he smiles. “I’m here. I'm okay.”

“Eddie…”

“I know,” Eddie says softly. “I love you too.”

Buck gives a choked laugh and places another kiss to his lips. This one softer. He makes a note to tell Bobby he’s taking the day off tomorrow. There’s no way he’s going to be leaving Eddie’s side anytime soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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